Monday, September 16, 2013

anniversary weekend & meeting up with a high school friend

We must've been babies when we got married because we just celebrated
our 29th wedding anniversary! Our weekend celebration took us to southwest
Michigan; just a 2-1/2 hour drive away. We had to go through downtown Chicago
to get to Michigan. Even though I'm not much of a city person, I have to say
that every time we pass through or go into Chicago, I am amazed by the stunning
architecture, especially the Sears Tower. Yes, I know it's now called the Willis
Tower, but living in the Chicago area most of my life, I just can't bring myself
to call it anything but the Sears Tower.


We didn't have time to do much on Friday evening. We walked around to some
shops in St. Joseph, then walked down to the beach. How beautiful is this fountain
 with Lake Michigan in the background? We then went out to dinner at this little pizza 
place that was still mobbed even when we were leaving at 9 p.m. I didn't think one 
would find such great pizza outside of Chicago, but we did! We had a spinach, garlic,
 and sun-dried tomato pizza which was on super thin, crispy crust and just enough
 cheese to make it oozy and perfect. I have to remember to write a Yelp review.


Saturday morning, we drove out to Tiscornia Park to walk on the beach and
see the lighthouse. The sand dunes are gorgeous, but we didn't walk or
climb them. I can tell you from past experience that you have to be pretty darn
fit to climb these sand hills! Some of them are huge; this is just part of a small one.


It was a picture perfect day to walk on the beach and then down the pier to the
lighthouses. The only other people there were a couple of photographers and 
fishermen.


 We also hit a farmer's market in St. Joseph and came home with a bunch of
goodies...apples, green beans, fingerling potatoes, a loaf of bread, a garlic
pizza crust, and a big hunk of organic, farm-raised, no-nitrate ham.


Oh, yes...and a basket of these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes, too. How I wish
we had access to all this farm-fresh, organic produce year-round!


On our way home, we stopped at The Round Barn Winery in Baroda, MI
to do some wine tasting.


The inside of the barn roof was stunning...


We've done wine tastings in several places, including Napa Valley.
We were very pleased with the deliciousness of the Michigan wine.
We brought home a bottle of their Weekend Red.
 

 The winery was having a British car invasion event, so we had a good time
walking around and admiring all the cool, vintage cars.



 All too soon we had to head home, though truthfully, we were ready. Both of us
like to get out and do things but there truly is no place like home. This was the
sky as we were close to our house.


The fun and excitement of the weekend didn't end yesterday. This afternoon,
I was blessed to be able to meet up with a friend from high school (in KY) that
I haven't seen in 35 years! I swear, Beverly looks exactly like she did in high school.
And so did her husband whom I also knew from high school. It's funny how we
still see each other with young eyes. We didn't have enough time to really talk;
just a little over an hour. But I'm still riding on a delightful "high" from even that
little bit of time with my Bee. When me and my family moved from KY back to IL
and I had to leave my friends, Beverly wrote me the most beautiful going-away
poem. I think I still have it in one of my scrapbooks somewhere.
 

 And now it's back to reality...housework, laundry, unpacking fall decorations
and fall clothing, bringing in the houseplants that have been outside all
summer, and starting on some fall porch decorating.  

20 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures. Such fun meeting up with an old friend. Happy Anniversary. We celebrated 43 years on the 12th.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Debby! 43 years...wow. Happy anniversary to you, too!

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  2. Happy Anniversary!! Sounds like a perfect way to celebrate. And then to get to meet up with an old friend even made it better. Beautiful photos.

    Judy

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    1. Thank you, Judy. It's been a wonderful past few days.

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  3. It looks like you had a lovely weekend! So much good food and things to see. How nice that you got to see your old friend. That's a beautiful photo of you together.

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    1. Thank you, Jennifer. It's hard to think of us not being 16 years old anymore!

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  4. I loved tagging along with you . . . it bought back so many wonderful memories. You drove right through my hometown of Michigan City, Indiana.
    It seems funny to call it my hometown, because I have not lived they in 51 years, I was 17 when I left,LOL. Chicago and St.Joesph both hold sweet memories. There used to be a park at St.Joseph with a huge roller coaster, is it still there?
    Happy Anniversary, and thank you again for sharing all of these wonderful photos. I certainly enjoyed tagging along.
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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    Replies
    1. I didn't know you were from Michigan City, and yes, we certainly did drive right through there! I don't think there's a roller coaster in St Joseph...now it's just the park with the fountain and a huge indoor merry-go-round. Beautiful area; glad you enjoyed the photos!

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    2. Hi Melanie, things change as the years roll by, I know that when I was a kid the park by the beach in Michigan City was much larger than it is today. With computers, video games, cable TV, and all the entertainment right at your fingertips, people do not go out to socialize like they did when I was young. Back then there was a concert in the park every week, the park-rides-and concessions were open 7 days and nights a week, there was a big dance hall open every Friday and Saturday nights, and the bench was always filled with swimmers and sunbathers (maybe that hasn't changed). St.Joseph had a huge park right on the beach, too . . . but like I said people got out on the weekends and summer nights . . . back in the old days, LOL when I was young :)
      Thank you for the sweet compliment on my doll. Lucy loved her and I'm sure that she will go to school for show and tell.
      Thanks for popping over and visiting, this has been very nice.

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  5. Oh Melanie,
    What a lovely anniversary trip you had, your photos of your time spent with those you love so well are just beautiful. I feel as though I joined you on your beautiful journey!
    Warm Hugs,
    Jemma

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the virtual journey, Jemma!

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  6. I think everyone still calls it Sears Tower! And the Macy's at State and Dearborn will always be Field's.

    So glad you had a good time in St. Joe. You seemed to spend more time on the beach then we did, but then again we were there in December! Did you like the downtown area?

    How neat that you met up with your H.S. friend. I'm really hoping that one day I'll see my old best friend who lives in New Mexico. From our emails, it doesn't seem like she's changed at all.

    Good for you getting all those veggies and wow, I would have really liked to have seen that winery.

    Happy Anniversary! Next year is the big one!!

    XO,
    Jane

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I would've wanted to spend much time on the beach in December either, lol! Loved the little downtown area and most of the shops. We got some balsamic vinegar, cheese, crackers, and a mustard with olives in it at the olive oil shop.

      It was so exciting to meet up with my friend from high school today...it blows my mind to think that we haven't seen each other since we were 16!

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  7. Sounds like a wonderful anniversary ending with being with an old friend.
    Balisha

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  8. Hi Mel, Looked like a great anniversary, you two are so sweet together! I have friends that I've know since 8th grade. When we are together, no time has passed, and we turn into he girls we were then, silly, giddy, boy crazy. So glad you got to visit with your friend. Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver, the other is gold. I guess that makes me silver;-). Love, Penny

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    Replies
    1. Next time Beverly is in town, another mutual friend from high school who lives in the Chicago area plans on getting together with us. Can you say triple trouble? ;-)

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  9. Happy anniversary. And the peaches look delicious. This is the one thing I miss in Brittany: we don't really have local peaches.

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    Replies
    1. That's too bad. Imported fruit just isn't the same!

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  10. I'm so glad you enjoyed your visit to my hometown! It's a pretty little spot, isn't it?

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